Dactyl ManuForm Mini Keyboard Build
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- Опубліковано 16 чер 2024
- In this video I show build montage of Dactyl Mini Manuform. This is my first experience building this 3D printed ergonomic keyboard. The video is a bit low-key with not many details, but I hope you will still enjoy it. Also the parts I have used were budget, because I did not want to mess with more premium stuff yet. It's not the last Dactyl that I will be building, so I will probably make more detailed videos later. I have downloaded this model from thingiverse, but later I hope to learn how to generate my own model.
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Parts used:
BSun Blue Switches: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9HjtE8
DSA white Keycaps: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_98pqWo
Arduino Micro: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9GZo7N
TRRS plug PCB: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_A6SYr2
USB micro PCB: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_A5SpAy
TRS coiled cable: www.aliexpress.com/item/32948...
USB cable: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AmBDA4
Magnet 0,25mm wire: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AoZWHT
Silicone 30awg wires: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Ar6p5R
Diodes: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_99zJCd
Kapton 10mm tape: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_97cpRT
Heat inserts M3-4-4mm: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_APgpfA
Screws M3 10mm: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AWQH0B
Rubber feet 8x2mm: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AtBLVh
Wrist rests: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9Iam5k
Useful links:
Thingiverse model: www.thingiverse.com/thing:401...
USB micro pcb holder: www.thingiverse.com/thing:344...
Original github repo: github.com/adereth/dactyl-key...
Firmware: github.com/bendalton/qmk_firm...
If any of the links stops working, feel free to contact me or write a comment.
Some of the links are affiliate, so if you make a purchase I will get few cents without making the price any higher.
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Chapters:
0:00 Printing
0:36 Parts
1:05 Starting the assembly
1:57 Hand wiring
5:38 Finishing the assembly
7:41 Typing test
9:10 Outro
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Music:
Track: Move - KV [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
Watch: • Move - KV | Free Backg...
Free Download / Stream: alplus.io/move
Leaf by KV / kvmusicprod
Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0
www.creativecommons.org/licen...
Track: Pure - KV [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
Watch: • Pure - KV | Free Backg...
Free Download / Stream: alplus.io/Pure
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Contact:
It's best to contact me via email infiniteoffset@gmail.com
Social media:
instagram: / infiniteoffset2
reddit: / infiniteoffset - Наука та технологія
This guide is really detailed in terms of parts and soldering. Thanks so much for making it, clears a lot of questions I had in terms of building a dactyl.
Thank you for watching :)
Free Palestine!
i like the build and the whole process is interesting. thanks!
Thank you!
Thanks. Another nice video. I have been having trouble with the diodes. Watching you do it has helped.
I'm glad that you were able to solve it. What was the issue?
@@infiniteoffset I shaped each diode wire by twisting the wire around the pin. Preshaping and snipping speeds things up.
@@peterweston6588 Yeah, I know what you are talking about. I was messing up with this like that when I was starting my SiCK-68 build. Making the loop before soldering does really help.
Yes , I m watching 👍🥰😅😅😅💪
Wonderful :) . When I was editing the video I was like "Oh man, this ain't that good as I hoped, wonder if anybody will even watch it.". But I'm so glad that you and other people kept at watching and it was well received over all (just look at those 14 likes and 0 dislikes, wow). I can't wait to do another build - Tightyl, Corne, Lumberjack or whatever I will get parts for first.
@@infiniteoffset Yes please
corne build
@@ultrahalf What PCBs do you think are better? Corne Clasic v2 or hotswappable Corne Cherry v3? I personally don't mind soldering switches, but I thought that I may try to do hotswappable keyboard for once to try it out. I'm having some PCBs manufactured, so I will add Corne PCBs to the list for sure.
@@ultrahalf Yeah, hotswap will be fun to try.
@@infiniteoffset It's mesmerizing. The colored glue tripped me out though.
Looking at making one of these. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for watching! Make sure to post it somewhere if you make one.
This is really awesome !!!
Amazing! putting solder on the Arduino before the cables is a great idea.
Thanks. Yeah, pre-tinning booth Arduino pads and cables as well seem to be good practice.
Thanks for sharing this! Makes hand wiring/soldering seem approachable for me. I'm relatively new to split keyboards (just built a Kyria) but i feel like i would need more thumb buttons since i have numbers, symbols and navigation on three separate layers
Prebending and looping diodes helps tremendously. Alternatively using single key PCBs like Amoeba can make the wiring easiers. It's great you want to utilize thumbs more. Now it feels weird that on standard keyboard booth thumbs are only for space key, doesn't it?
Awesome man, I've been looking to build one of these for months now. Just need to find someone with a 3d printer that I can borrow. Will definitely use this as a parts guide - super useful. Would definitely be keen on a written guide too if you have time/want to do that, but that might be asking too much haha. Thanks heaps anyway
Thanks for watching, I'm glad it can help even a little bit. I do want to expore the Dactyl Manuform project more including generating my own files and my own layout in QMK, I'm just not sure on the time frame. For 3D printer, try to look for local Fablabs or other hackerspaces, they will often let you use their printers for just the cost of the filament.
just so you know, they're many websites than can print 3d files for you and I dont think they're too expensive.
Very nice Video
I have seen A LOT of 3d printers, but this definitely takes the crown of being the most disgusting one ever... what surprises me more is it produces such a nice print
Hair spray all around the place with dust does it's thing, haha. But print area is clean. Believe it or not, one news site used photo of my dirty printer as thumbnail of their article about 3d printers. Thanks, it printed surprisingly good. Now I "upgraded" extruder to clone of prusa and the prints got worse, so I will probably "downgrade" again.
looks fine to me
Hey onethousandth like! Great job on the board. This is the particular one im working on. Im surprised you didint sand it though. Good job overall!
Wow, 1K likes, thanks. Honestly I made this video in a rush and this dactyl was over all made with low effort - cheap filament, switches, ton of hot glue. I would love to make another dactyl video, more proper one, but I'm procrastinating too much , haha. Anyway, when you are finished with yours, post photos somewhere!
Stayed for the songs and gained a little bit of knowledge :P
UA-cam, this video was very cool and simple to the point. Recommend to more please.
Thank you, I do appreciate it. I will have to try to find time to edit more videos that I have been postponing for months.
Thanks for the great video. So informative. I can wait to build it myself. One quick question - did you need any software setups after to connected the keyboard?
Once the arduino is flashed, it doesn't require any software to use the keyboard. It's like standard keyboard. For flashing you need either QMK or some flashing software like avrdude.
I thought that this was a cake from the thumbnail for some reason. The print looked too good.
I would love to eat dactyl shaped cake :)
Sick build! What soldering iron do you use?
Impressive job, my question it's possible to add a track point , and also the new layout that you're testing it's by any chance the Dvorak layout?
Greetings from Morocco.
Thank you!
For the track point, well, it's not easy to do and I have never done it myself yet, but since I love track points I hope to look at it one day. I know that many people struggled with it.
Here's interesting and detailed documentation about how to add track point to TMK keyboard (should work on GMK as well I believe) github.com/alonswartz/trackpoint/blob/master/README.md
And while ago I have stumbled upon small Pimoroni Trackball breakout board. It's a for of Sofle, but I'm sure it can be adapted to other keyboards github.com/foureight84/sofle-keyboard-pimoroni
I'm not using Drovak, I'm using standard Querty. By not being used to different layout I meant positions of keys like space, shift, enter, since here those keys are under thumb cluster.
good video well done
Thanks!
Nice build. Where did you find out how to make the keymaps and firmware for a split keyboard? I made a handwired numpad with qmk and I'm now planning an ortholinear split keyboard.
This particular config I did not make, I just made some small changes to it, but I do recommend reading QMK doc on this beta.docs.qmk.fm/using-qmk/hardware-features/feature_split_keyboard For me it was very useful, because I needed to set this keyboard serial wiring instead of i2c. Serial required 3 connections and i2c four connections, but at the moment I just had only stereo jacks at hand.
What style of ortholinear are you planning for?
Damn that's a lovely keeb. Probably I'm goona attempt something similar as a next project. I just went from my first soldering job which was a jj40 to a Corne kbd and I wonder what my new endgame will be. :) Btw what are those little wrist rests at the end of the vid?
It's definitely worth to try building some version of Dactyl Manuform! Even if it's only cheap build like mine.
Good choice in keyboards, I personally really want to build Corne one day as well. Or the new Cornelius if it wasn't so expensive, haha.
Those are generic memory foam mouse wrist rests, I have added the link to the exact ones in the description in the end of the part list.
@@infiniteoffset How much was everything? I loved your minimal build, seems way better than those 5x6 dactyl. Edit: I saw that you did a Corne as well. I bought everything I need for a Cantor, a corne low profile with a more aggressive stagger. It will be my first build. How do the corne and this Dactyl compare, I mean in ergonomics.
@@tupinikeebs I believe it was around 40-50euros, but prices now will be higher for sure.
I printed this smaller Dactyl for two reasons. Firstly I'm more used to smaller Planck-like layouts and secondly, I don't like 3D printing overnight and this could be printed during the day unlike some bigger Dactyls that are like 20 hours to print for one half.
I will be honest here, I do like Corne a lot more than this Dactyl. It's probably because I'm used to Levinson keyboard (my daily driver), but also this Dactyl in particular didn't fit me well. I tried building Tightyl, which might be better suited for me, but it was too tight for me to properly wire it, haha, so I never finished it. Ergonomic wise Dactyls are probably better, but the switching between keyboard and mouse is more comfortable with flat keyboard IMHO.
Cantor keyboard looks interesting, first time hearing about it. Funny how little components needs to be soldered on it. Be sure to post photos somewhere once you have it done.
@@infiniteoffset wow, such a detailed overview. Thanks! About the cantor, yeah! I've got zero experience with soldering, and I also live in Brazil, so buying an already built keyboard is somewhat really expensive. So I first thought about the corne, but because of the plates and cases and whatnot, it can be rather expensive, since it's from different sources + shipping, etc. It would be nearing 250-300USD I think. Then I found the Cantor, which seems to be even more ergonomic than the corne, and also waay cheaper. And also don''t need diodes, led, case,plate, hotswap. Seemed to me the most simple I could find and also pretty ergonomic. I've got CTS, so I'm kinda looking for ergonomic right now. But yeah I also look for the Dactyl, altough I only hope about buying one already built and also used, since it will be cheaper. I've never used an ortholinear, split or anything less than 60%. So it's going to be a biiiig change, I hope it's a good one! And yeah, I will post on reddit as soon as everything arrives. Also, since you didn't like this dactyl mini so much, any chance of selling it? haha. About the tightyl, I saw them and those 36 keys dactyl, they look insane! Does it hurt to use them without some kind of wrist rest? Good lord, I did type a lot. Sorry for this
Also, I don't think I would ever be able to build one, seems hard af to handwire and stuff.
Neat!
Thanks! Just printing another one 5x6 manuform.
How long it takes to print single side? i had a plan to built one in next future time. Nice vid btw
Thanks. I was printing one side for 13 hours, but I have used a lot of support, so this time might be reduced. Some bigger Dactyl Manuform models print even over 24 hours, but that was not an option for me since I'm not able to run my printer overnight.
Just ordered one. A little intimidated by the installation process since I don't have any background with soldering or wiring like this. Any tips to not mess it up entirely?
Still watching! Great job 👏! I need some clippers to hold my things when I am soldering 🥹.
Thank you! If you have 3d printer, you could maybe make this helping hand www.thingiverse.com/thing:2008179 or this vise www.thingiverse.com/thing:2064269 . I personally like those two models.
@@infiniteoffset I do have a 3d printer. Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll take a look at the models. 😊
Hi man your vids are great
Thank you! What keyboard are you using? Did you build something recently?
@@infiniteoffset no I'm planning to get a gk 61 and get white key caps I'm using right now a cheap 10 dollar one
@@saber-dragon4292 Cool. I hate that gk61 doesn't run something like QMK, but other than that it's nice entry keeb for a really good price.
@@infiniteoffset or the redragon white 60 persent keyboard
6:46 I am still watching ;-)
Very close to the one I'm having printed for me. Mine has one less pinky extension key, one more thumb key, and some subtle differences in placement.
Make sure to post photos somewhere once you have it finished!
@@infiniteoffset docs.google.com/document/d/1N20sHKg-xv4VJw3EW8ZrUTQhuMZOiBrNos_19cOXVAA/edit?usp=sharing
6:43 Yes !
👍
How big is ur 3d printer plate?
Just wondering if it could print a full size dactyl as well
Do you enjoy using those switches? Im curious since a lot of people in the keyboard community seem to hate clickies.
About the switches, the particular ones that I used in this video are not the switches I would choose or recommend for daily use. These are cheap and I used them for testing purposes since I didn't want to invest too much into my first Dactyl. But if someone is on the budged, then these will still be million times better than regular rubber dome keyboard.
About the clickiness. Everybody either loves or hate clicky switches. I'm fan myself. But I wouldn't use them in office or library where there are other people trying to focus. For my daily use I use Kailh Noble Yellow the most.
Realize this may be a longshot, as it has been 3 years since you published this video, but do you happen to remember how you compiled and flashed the firmware? I'm having a hard time getting QMK to compile the firmware you linked in the description.
I don't remember it. The repo I linked is not up to date, but you can take the minimanuform folder out of it and put it in your qmk up-to-date folder. What kind of error are you getting? What board you are flashing it on to?
Hi! Did you find the solution?
@@vsvirin23 I ended up actually making a new firmware from scratch. I can post a link to it if you want, but 2 things to know first: it's not as feature-rich as the original (no tapdance, maybe more stuff missing), however, it does use vial which I personally consider objectively superior to base qmk. I'm at work at the moment, but I will see if I can post a link the next day or so.
@@monkielikebacon2 Thank you!
@@monkielikebacon2 made my own too but can't make two thumbkeys work
What were your settings for temps/support/infill?
what is that green goo you put on after hot gluing them? Or was it just a different color hot glue?
Yeah, I wanted to get rid of colored hot glue sticks that I had for years :D It looks ugly.
6:46 Yes
very nice work only slightly marred by the fact that you printed it in flesh tone which gives me the creeps :D
You know why I printed it with that filament? Because it was discounted, nobody wanted that color, lmao.
my huge issue with this kind of build, is its not hot swappable. so if by chance you grow to hate the kind of switch you use, its GG and time to build another keyboard
Yeah, definitely. And since keys are also hand wired, it would be nightmare to desolder them like you could on a keyboard with PCBs. However there are not many hot swappable Dactyls, it's quite hard to make it hot swappable.
Whoever came up with this fork of the dactyl missed a trick by not calling it the "Dactyl MiniForm".
Lmao, that's a good name suggestion!
Cool, what does it cost in filament for the print, if I may ask
Depending on the model (curvature, height, number of keys, wall thickness, type of supports) I think you should expect around 200-600g of filament. I believe the particular one in the video was around 300g. I used some cheap 10euro/kg filament (it was in sale, that's why the weird color), so in my case it would come to around 3eur.
@@infiniteoffset brilliant, thanks
yes (im still watching)
That's great to hear :)
DAMN ! BOI!
wired by hand... How can that be done in an Apple (you circuitry is beautiful) way???
Thanks! :) From experimenting a little, for me pre-bending diodes to L shape with loop helps a lot. But for really nice handwire, even artistic I would say, I recommend seeing Bee Themed keyboard from Idyllic, his work is stunning! ua-cam.com/video/lg4wfDJ21mM/v-deo.html
How long are the screws in the sick-68 build???
I not sure if you are still asking for the sick or you were also interested in dactyl, here on dacryl mini the screws can be shorter 10-12mm, on sick 12-14mm work.
Can you use low profile switch in this?
Yes, low profile switches use 14x14mm holes as well, so you can use them with this model.
How long did the printing take ?
I don't remember exactly how long it was, but I think 13 hours for main body and 5 hours per plate. So 36 hours total printing.
0:20 yep hahah
Amazing and helpful tutorial, but why does your 3d printer look like its on life support.
Thanks! Well, two things about my printer. It's older design and it's extremely dirty from hair spray that I smack all over and it also soaked under the glass bed. But all the important parts are cleaned, lubed and well maintained, so it's printing fairly well. Nowadays I try to clean it better, for example I remove the glass when I clean it instead of doing it directly on the printer, but with some parts I just don't bother much. Nowadays people use fancy textured build plates instead of glass and hairspray, however imho glass and hairspray is still the best surface to print on. It's cheap, you can buy glass and hairspray locally, it can last long, it holds the print well, etc. Downside is the hairspray mess for people like me who are lazy to remove the glass.
What kind of mat are you using ?
Which mat you mean? Cutting mat? I use the one from hobbyking hobbyking.com/en_us/hobbyking-cutting-mat.html It's A3 size, I had it for several years, but I'm thinking I will buy something bigger, not sure what yet.
Yo imagine if one key was faulty after you have done all that work
It would actually be not that hard to repair it, not pleasant, but probably like 30min job. Yeah, I put ton of hotglue on this one, that would be the biggest issue, but it can be removed with isopropyl alcohol. Then desolder two wires, replace switch and resolder back. But faulty switches themselves are rare problem, more usual is cold/missed solder joint and faulty diode.
I have a problem
I have built the same one but most of the keys are not working just 6 are working
Can you help me?
Hmm, I can try to help. I assume firmware is correctly flashed on the arduino since some keys are working. So for the start, if you have multimeter, try to see if you have rows and columns connected, if there is not bad solder joint somewhere. And also if you don't have a short between two columns or two rows (probably not case here, but good to check). Also check if your diode orientation is correct since diodes are oriented. These are the most common problems, so that's for the start.
@@infiniteoffset ok good idea I am on it
can you use any key switches?
I'm not sure if I understand the question. Yeah, switches are usable see 7:58
@@infiniteoffset sorry are any types of key switches usable in the build or can you only use the specific ones listed in the description?
@@tokdamok95 Holes on this dactyl are 14x14mm which means that any cherry style switches, but also low profile switches can be used.
I guess you can say dactyl miniform
10:00 jajaja XD
Must be blue switch? And what is BSUN?
Any cherry style switch will work. BSUN is brand of switches that are similar to Gateron, little worse quality, but dirty cheap. See my description for links to parts.
Can i use choc switch too? And how i set up in computer like the keyboard layout? (Sorry for too many asking😔)
@@rasyinggantv1717 Yes, choc will work as well. Booth choc and cherry mx needs 14x14mm holes. Layout and keymap is programmed via QMK firmware that is flashed on the arduinos. Config for dactyl mini can be found here github.com/bendalton/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards/handwired/minimanuform
Try to search for videos how to work with QMK, but if you will get stucked somewhere, you can always write me.
Thanks a lot, subsribed👍
@@infiniteoffset wait, choc switches work too? How about kailh choc v2? Its have 3 metal pins, which one is for diodes and which one is for cable? Or i should cut 1 pin?
Can I get the hex file 🙏
I'm sorry, tried looking at the files I backed up, but I could not find the firmware from this one.
the printer name please?
Printer is called Rebel II, it has community around it on rebelove.org, however community and documentation is all in czech language.
@@infiniteoffset thx
lol that printer is the trashier I ever seen 🤣
Heh, exesive hairspray and dust is taking it's toll, lmao. But at least the printing area is clean.
dude you don't have to fill supports 100%
printing like that you wasting to much time and material
The support is far from 100%, it's still not much of material, but I do agree that less support could be used. My print failed with less dense support at certain place and at the time Prusaslicer didn't allow to easily change support locally.
can you please share the guide to how to code the Arduino I tried reaching out to you on Instagram but you didn't reply